Practical DevSecOps courses

How to secure your web application

Today's web and mobile applications are available across various networks and are connected to the cloud. This in turn increases vulnerabilities to security threats and breaches. These threats and breaches impact both the organisation and its consumers or end users.

To incorporate security into the development process, these examples of best practice are recommended:

• Following the OWASP Top 10 - a standard awareness document for developers and web application security

• Getting an application security audit

• Implementing proper logging

• Using real-time security monitoring and protection

Beyond these best practices, instilling a culture of security and gaining a Practical DevSecOps credential like Certified DevSecOps Professional (CDP) equips you and your team with knowledge of DevSecOps and how to incorporate security into the development process.

Why are DevSecOps practices important? Shorter development cycles empower teams to respond to and fix problems faster, test out new features, and keep users satisfied. Shorter development cycles strengthen your team and improve their efficiency. In addition, DevSecOps practices ensure that at each step, company data, customer information, and systems are safe.

What is DevSecOps?

DevSecOps is an abbreviation for development, security, and operations. It is an approach that focuses on integrating security as a collective responsibility throughout the entire software development life cycle (SDLC).

Incorporating processes like testing and risk mitigation early in the workflow prevents the time-intensive and expensive consequences of addressing security breaches post-launch.

What is the difference between DevOps and DevSecOps? Web and app development today is not a dichotomy of DevOps vs DevSecOps. Rather, the latter is an evolution of the development process, moving from a collaboration between only developers and operations teams to one where security specialists are critical parts of a project.

What is Practical DevSecOps?

Practical DevSecOps offers vendor-neutral, practical, and hands-on DevSecOps training and certification programs for IT professionals.

Learning is focused on modern areas of information security including DevOps Security, Cloud-Native Security, Cloud Security, and Container security.

Certifications from Practical DevSecOps are achieved after rigorous tests (12-24 hour exams) of skill and are considered the most valuable in the information security field.

Through Lumify Work, professionals in Australia can access Practical DevSecOps training.

If you wonder about what a DevSecOps certification is and which are the best, a DevSecOps credential validates your skills and knowledge in integrating security to web development. TechTarget lists the Certified DevSecOps Professional (CDP) certification as one of the best.

The DevSecOps Professional self-paced training is ideal preparation for the CDP exam, teaching candidates about DevSecOps processes, tools, and techniques. The course also offers guidance on creating and maintaining a DevSecOps pipeline, and you'll learn to use software composition analysis (SCA), static application security testing (SAST), dynamic application security testing (DAST), and security as code.

The CDP credential indicates that the holder has the practical expertise to understand, implement, and manage the DevSecOps program in an organisation. A person who is a CDP can assess the current state of DevSecOps, embed security as part of DevOps, manage vulnerabilities, and improve the overall Maturity Level.

Prerequisites include a basic understanding of Linux commands and application security. This course is available at Lumify Work as a three-day instructor-led course** or self-paced training. Students earn CDP certification after passing a 12-hour practical exam.

Practical DevSecOps has three additional DevSecOps certifications:

• Certified DevSecOps Architect. This focuses on DevSecOps best practices for AWS. It is recommended candidates complete the CDP certification before attempting this exam.

• Certified DevSecOps Leader. This leadership exam validates that managers know how to influence DevSecOps practices from a business perspective.

• Certified DevSecOps Expert. This is focused on infrastructure as code, compliance as code, vulnerability management, and more. This course is available through Lumify Work as self-paced training. Candidates must obtain the CDP certification first, before attempting this course.

** Note this is a closed course and requires a minimum of 10 students to run. It is delivered by a Practical DevSecOps trainer on behalf of Lumify Work.

How to become a DevSecOps expert

Misbah T from Practical DevSecOps shares insights into the career path to become a skilled DevSecOps Engineer.

As a field of discipline, DevSecOps is rapidly growing. Its global demand is projected to grow at a CAGR of 24.1% over the next few years, resulting in revenues exceeding US$17.24 billion by 2028. Companies increasingly seek skilled DevSecOps engineers to join their teams through external recruitment or internal upskilling.

What is the DevSecOps Engineer role? Individuals with DevSecOps Engineer roles are skilled security professionals who ensure security is an integral part of the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC). Their work involves identifying potential security vulnerabilities and devising robust mitigation strategies to prevent risks. They are also responsible for monitoring security threats, implementing security controls, and ensuring compliance with relevant security standards and regulations.

The DevSecOps career path begins with a solid foundation in software development. Many DevSecOps engineers start as software developers or system administrators before moving to a DevSecOps role. Gaining certifications supports advancement.

To become a DevSecOps expert, candidates should be able to master the following responsibilities:

• Integrating security into software development

• Identifying potential security risks and developing risk reduction strategies

• Implementing security controls

• Monitoring security threats

• Ensuring compliance with security standards and regulations

• Collaborating with developers, system administrators, and other stakeholders to ensure that security is integrated into the development process

To become a skilled DevSecOps engineer, you must develop various technical and soft skills through training, practice, and experience. Some of the best DevSecOps engineer skills are:

• In-depth understanding of security concepts

• Knowledge of the SDLC and experience integrating security best practices at every process stage

• Familiarity with automation tools and scripting languages like Python and PowerShell

• Understanding cloud security principles including secure architecture design and configuration management

• Knowledge of container security principles such as Docker and Kubernetes

• Experience with DevOps practices such as continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD) and infrastructure as code (IaC)

• Familiarity with compliance frameworks and regulations such as PCI-DSS, HIPAA, and GDPR

• Mature problem-solving skills including analysing complex security issues and developing effective solutions

• Effective communication skills including working collaboratively with cross-functional teams

• A passion for continuous learning and keeping up with the latest security trends and technologies